


Forever

by dancey94



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/M, M/M, Universe Alteration
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-06-01
Packaged: 2018-03-30 16:35:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3943855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dancey94/pseuds/dancey94
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will starts his studies at the university. He makes friends for the first time in his life and despite his sole focus on the studies, he develops unbreakable bonds.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fresh start

Will was walking on the pavement and the leaves beneath his boots were rustling. He was getting closer and closer to a nice grey building with high windows and winding stairs. He had already been here but today was different. Today was the first day of classes. And he was new, again.

Will changed schools a lot when he was younger and the feeling of being new when everyone had already known each other was bringing him down.

University was a bit different. It was a first day for everyone and he hoped he could properly meet everyone and that this start would be successful. He didn’t hope to make a friend, really.

Will got used to being called ‘a freak’ and being laughed at. He knew he was different and maybe people had their reasons to consider him weird but didn’t he deserve at least a chance of proving worthy of someone’s friendship?

Well, after so many years he seemed to give up all hope. He wanted to focus on the studies.

Will saw many people standing in front of the building formed in groups already. Should he join any group? No. He’ll go and find the class.

He was walking through a corridor full of smiling freshmen who were chatting loudly. Will felt strange. He wanted to socialize and start conversation with people he didn’t know, yet at the same time he was terrified of doing that. He despised socializing. That’s one of the reasons he wore glasses. Apart from helping him see (as he was short-sighted), it was also a defence mechanism. He didn’t like eye contact and people often felt insulted because of it.

Will checked again in his notes the number of the classroom to be sure he stood in front of the right one. Mistaking a classroom on the first day wouldn’t be a success, which he unfortunately knew from experience.

Will entered the room and saw plenty of people sitting or standing and making small talk. He frozen for a second. He despised also small talk and never mastered (or practised, for that matter) the skill.

But he was already there and he had promised himself to at least try not to strike anyone as weird or… unstable.

Will had a history of mental illnesses and was treated in a few hospitals before the doctors finally gave up and stated there was no cure for the boy.

How could there be one? Will wasn’t sick; he wasn’t insane. He was just… different. He always saw himself as a person on the spectrum and that’s it. He had his ‘quirks’ and his mind worked differently from other people. But Will never considered it bad.

When he was younger he was afraid of the nightmares and he couldn’t even watch a cartoon without empathy disturbing his brain. His childhood wasn’t very bright but he managed. Will wanted to distance himself from the past but leaving the lessons he learnt from experiences (both bad and good; thought there were mostly bad).

Will found a seat; not very far from other students but in a fair distance. He took out his notebook and a pen and put the items on the desk in front of him. When he rose his head, he noticed a girl watching him from a few meters away. She smiled when she noticed he was aware of her eyes on him. He winced, then thought she was probably just smiling to someone behind him and disregarded the situation.

Will looked at his watch and wondered if the studies were even a good idea. His father said he should do what he thinks is best for him and he bought him the watch. It cost probably most of his savings and Will didn’t want to accept it at first but finally decided to take it and promised his dad he wouldn’t disappoint him.

“Hi. I’m Alana”

A girl’s voice brought Will back and he looked at her. The girl that was smiling in his direction. Will turned around to see who she was talking to but she laughed and touched his arm.

“I’m talking to you. I was smiling to you”

“Oh. Um. Alright. Hi. I’m Will. Will Graham”

The young man stretched his hand shyly to a girl and she took it and shook it.

“Where are you from, Will?” she seemed to like his name.

“Um. Many places, really. But let’s say Louisiana”

“Cool. I’m from Ohio. Many places, you say? So you moved a lot?”

“Yeah. My father needed to change jobs and I followed”

“I see”

When Alana was about to ask another question, another student approached them.

“Hey!” the boy said cheerfully “Who are you? You’re the only person I haven’t met yet”

“Brian, this is Will” said Alana and Will wondered if she did that because she already felt Will was awkward and it was a difficult situation for him. Anyway, he was grateful.

“Hi, I’m Brian” the man then turned to Alana “Did you tell him about the party?”

“No. We just met. And you interrupted” the girl emphasised the last word but the whole sentence was said in a mere whisper for only Brian to hear.

Brian smirked and turned to Will again.

“Well then. There is a party on Friday. At The Mikey’s. It’s a pub nearby. The whole group agreed to come and get to know each other”

Brian tapped Will on his shoulder which made him wince again. The boy frowned and stepped back a little.

“So will you come?” Alana asked, ignoring the incident.

Will’s eyes widened a bit. Did these people seriously invited him to a party? Was it a prank or something?  
Get it together, Will. They have no reason to take the mickey out of you.

“Yeah. Yes, I’ll try to come”

Alana smiled and Will force a smile in return. Brian raised one corner of his mouth and restrained himself from patting Will’s shoulder again.

In that moment a lecturer appeared in the classroom. It was a pretty young, cool-looking guy with a backpack. He was tall and wore glasses. Not many hair on his head but still, Will would consider the man handsome.

“Hi everybody! My name is Conrad and I’ll be teaching you the introduction to psychology. I want you all to create a mail account for the whole group and then I’ll send you a booklet with all the materials needed to pass my subject. Today, I’ll give you a sample, check the attendance, try to remember your faces and we can call it a day”

Conrad gave away some handouts and started reading the names of the students. When a given person said they’re present, the lecturer took a good look of their face and sometimes asked a question, be it personal or connected with the subject.

When he got to Will’s name, the boy raised his hand and announced ‘Present’.  
Conrad found his face in the crowd and smiled. God, this man’s smile was so pretty.

Conrad raised an eyebrow and went on checking the attendance without any question. Only after a second Will realised that his brain, in order to avoid eye contact, froze his gaze on the man’s lips. Oh God, it was fate. He was destined to screw up on the first day, wasn’t he?

“Ok, I’ll see you guys next week. Bye” said Conrad and the students started to leave the room.

Will packed his notebook and pen and when he stood up, Alana approached him.

“Wow, this teacher is really nice. And _hot_ ” she smiled and they left the classroom.

Will blushed.

“Yeah. I mean he seems relaxed. But we’ll see. I had a teacher in high school who was nice and all and at the end of the semester failed almost the whole class”

“Somehow, I sense you weren’t in the ‘doomed’ group” she smirked.

Will blushed again and then lowered his gaze. Nice, she already thinks he’s a nerd.

“I passed” he stated very quietly.

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything bad by that. Believe me, failing isn’t a reason to brag. And you seem like a smart guy” she smiled again reassuringly and then they heard her name.

“Alana!” some girls were calling her from the other end of the corridor.

“Sorry. I have to go. I’ll see you in classes” she said and disappeared from his sight in a minute.

When Will turned around, he bumped straight into someone’s chest.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry” Will started to mumble and then noticed the man in front of him smiling.

This smile. Conrad.

“It’s alright. It’s always this crowded at the beginning of the semester” the teacher stated “Will, right?”

“Yes, sir” Will looked past the man’s shoulder which was almost on the level of his own head.

“Is it embarrassment or do you not look people in the eyes in general?” Conrad asked, but his tone was polite; he wasn’t mocking Will.

“I’m sorry” Will repeated.

“Hey, it’s ok. I’m asking because I didn’t know if it’s your condition of if you were hitting on me” Conrad chuckled while Will blushed at the comment “Anyway, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable on my classes”

“Thank you, sir”

“Alright, bye now”

The teacher vanished and Will was left with just a taste. He had bumped into the man’s strong lean and tall body. Had he known, he’d focus more on the feeling. Ah, it was enough for now. Besides, he was there to learn and not stare at the lecturers’ buttocks. Oh, man. He didn’t actually check out Conrad’s ass. Well then, it had to wait till next week.


	2. Can you believe it?

Thursday and Friday went unobstructed. Will liked the lectures and most of the teachers. Everything seemed interesting to him. After the last classes on Friday, Alana appeared in front of Will.

“So, you’re coming tonight, right?” she asked politely.

Will focused his eyes on her earring and wondered. The party.

“Yes. If I’m still invited”

“Of course. Come at six. So see you then, Will” she smiled and when she turned, her hair brushed gently Will’s shoulder.

 

Will came back to his room in the dormitory.   
He had wanted to rent a small flat, even if he had to share it with one or two people, but the room in the dormitory was less expensive. It spared his father another costs as Will had some savings and could afford it by himself.

The room was pretty small. There were two desks, two beds, a wardrobe he had to share and a few other things.

And there was the roommate. A nice kid that ‘always wanted to study psychiatry but then decided to focus on rehabilitation of the criminals’. His name was Matthew and apart from studying he worked part-time in a mental hospital. Will wasn’t certain about it, but he thought Matt had a crush on him from the moment they met.

Will entered the room, which turned out empty, then took out the items from his backpack and put them on the desk. Will went to the bathroom and took a shower. He dried himself with a towel and stepped back into the room wearing only the towel, which was hanging loosely on his hips.

“Hello there” Will heard the playful voice of his roommate.

The utterance startled Will as he thought he was alone. He jumped and wanted to retreat to the bathroom but what would he do then? There were not many options.

“Hi” Will said instead and hurried to the drawer to put some clothes on “What are you doing here?”

“I finished classes earlier and thought I’d have a nap before work”

“Oh” Will took out gray boxers and light blue jeans (truthfully, any pants would do at the moment) and returned to the bathroom to get dressed, at which Matt smirked.

When Will reappeared, he noticed his roommate asleep. He quietly looked through his shirts (all four of them) and chose the most casually-looking. It was light blue like the sky on a summer day and it matched his eyes (and his jeans). He looked like an innocent angel; the only thing missing were the wings.

 

Will was a bit nervous when he was walking to the bar his group was supposed to meet in. His heart was racing and he was still afraid about the party.   
He was a few meters away from the place and he heard heavy noise – chattering, laughter and music mixed together. Will took a deep breath and opened the door to the bar.

He was instantly greeted by Alana who gave him a peck on the cheek and led him to their seats. She sat right next to him.

“Oh, Will! We were just talking about Conrad, remember? Our psychology professor?” Brian asked.

The man was sitting near another boy with his arm around him.

“Yeah. I remember. What about him?”

“He’s hot. Duh!” said Brian’s ‘friend’, and then added “I’m Jimmy”.

The man stretched out his hand for Will to shake. Will did, reluctantly.

“You know, we were supposed to get to know each other but there have already formed a couple of small groups. Ours is the best, of course”

Alana smiled widely.

“I’m finishing my beer and you should go and grab one, too. Come”

The girl didn’t touch Will again but the boy stood up and followed her. They reached the bar and asked for two beers.

“Can you believe they met only two days ago?” Alana looked at Will and rolled her eyes when she noticed Brian give her silent signs with his face and fingers, which Will couldn’t see as his back was turned to the man.

Will only offered a faint smile in response. They received their beers and returned to their seats.

“So, Will, do you have a girlfriend?” Brian asked.

“Um. No” Will sipped on his beer and again didn’t notice secrets signals between Brian and Alana.

“Will focuses on studying. And so should you” Alana remarked.

“Come on, it was just a question. And I actually got some notes from the students from the previous year so I don’t really need to attend lectures. And I am more than willing to share” Brian winked.

They all drank and talked about the beginning of the year and their backgrounds. Will thought he could actually make friends, though he barely spoke during the meeting.

He left just after 1 am.


	3. One more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> meet Hanni ^^

On Monday Will appeared a bit too early at the university. There was not another soul in the classroom. The boy took a seat not in the very front of the room but rather somewhere in the middle. He wondered whether his new colleagues would sit next to him. Will took out his notebook and a pen and started flicking through blank pages out of boredom. Suddenly, a low voice emerged beside him.

"May I sit here?" a stranger asked politely with a foreign accent.

"Um, yes, of course"

Will was shocked. It was new to him that someone actually wanted to sit next to him. And with a room still full of empty seats, no less.

‘Come on, he doesn't know you're a weirdo… yet’

"Will you be attending these classes?" Will asked.

"Yes. I'm studying here" Hannibal didn't seem to know what Will meant.

"But this must be your first day. I haven't seen you before. And there was a party that I didn't see you at either"

"It is my first day at the university, yes. I just returned on Friday evening from Europe where I had my apprenticeship. As for the party, I declined to come"

"Why?"

"I despise this kind of parties. Cheap beer, junk food and too loud disturbing music"

Hannibal's tone was posh and Will started to wonder if maybe he wasn't going to be the one called 'a freak' this time. For the first time in his life, Will was the one considering changing seats.

"Well I'm not a very sociable person but I went just to meet the people from our group"

Will offered a smile.

Hannibal observed him intensively and noticed that the man talking to him wasn't looking at him. Not only did he hide himself behind a pair of glasses but he also avoided eye contact. Strange. And very interesting.

“And how did you find our group?”

“There are a few people I hit it off with. But I guess it depends on what kind of people you like”

“Yes, I suppose it’s true”

The students started to fill the room and among them were Alana, Brian and Jimmy.

“Hi, Will! And who is your new friend here? Do you no longer like us?” Brian assumed a fake pout.

“Hi, guys, it’s um… I don’t think I remember your name”

“I never revealed one. Forgive me. I’m Hannibal Lecter” the boy stretched out his hand to everyone.

“I’m Brian. This is Jimmy” a man gave his new boyfriend a slap on the butt “and this lovely lady’s name is Alana” a wink in her direction.

“I’m Will”

“A pleasure to meet you all”

They took their seats and a lecturer came in. And then it began. Ninety minutes of a wild life. Brian and Jimmy kept touching each other and make inappropriate comments, Alana wanted to chat with Will who was too busy making notes and generally paying attention to the lecture and Hannibal was somewhere in between. He paid attention to the lecture, made notes and at the same time observed everything. He noticed Alana’s attempts at talking to Will and the boy’s apparent oblivion of what was happening.

During the next two classes the five colleagues sat in the same configuration and their actions remained pretty much the same. Just before lunch break Brian, Jimmy and Alana decided to go near the fountain in the yard to eat their meals.

“Will” Alana whispered not to disturb the classes.

The boy turned to her but looked past her shoulder.

“Hm?”

“We’re going to the yard for the lunch break”

“Alright” he said and continued writing in his notebook.

“You’re going with us, right?” her hair brushed his shoulder.

“Um. Alright”

Alana sighed and resumed making notes of her own.

 

At about one pm. Brian, Jimmy, Alana and Will went to the yard. It turned out that a lot of people were there already and a lot of them also found the idea of sitting near the fountain great.

“Nice” said Brian angrily “I guess we can go and sit under that tree. I will borrow you my jumper to sit on if you like” he turned to Alana.

The girl hoped Will would make such an offer but she knew it was a lost cause. They went under the tree.

“Hey, what happened to Hannibal?” Jimmy seemed to be the only one to notice the boy’s absence.

“Will? You were sitting next to him. Do you know where he went?” Brian asked suggestively.

“No. I left with you and didn’t see where he went” Will answered a bit absent-mindedly.

“Huh. He’s a bit weird, don’t you think? I mean very well-dressed for a student and he has this foreign accent”

“Not everyone has to be like you, Brian” Alana punched the boy’s shoulder friendly.

They ate their lunch and talked a bit about unimportant things. Will listened intently; not sharing much himself. When they went back to classes, Hannibal had been already sitting by the desk and making notes.

“Where were you during the lunch break?” Brian asked when he walked past Hannibal, who frowned at the question.

“At a café not far from here. Why?”

“Well, we thought you’d come with us” Brian explained.

“Oh. I’m…sorry. I didn’t know you… How about I take you to lunch tomorrow?” Hannibal offered.

“That would be nice” Alana responded politely.

Will didn’t say a word; he just took his seat next to Hannibal.


	4. Different pairs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this may all sound strange but i'll refer to some of the facts from this chapter later in the story ^^

When Will returned to his room in the dormitory, he found it empty. Matthew had gone to work so he had a space just for himself. He sat by the desk and started reading the booklet from Conrad for his next lecture. He was fascinated by all the information, which helped him assimilate it very quickly.

At eight Will went to shower (and took pyjamas with him into the bathroom to avoid the situation from last Friday). He washed himself and brushed his teeth. When he reappeared in the room, it was still empty. Will was surprised how he actually missed Matt’s babbling.

Anyway, he lay on his bed and looked at the ceiling.

There was a noise coming from the corridor (and the students next door) but the room was filled with darkness, as Will had turned off all the lights. Somehow even in the most overwhelming situations he could find peace. He just put his head back, closed his eyes and waded into the quiet of the stream.

He used to fish with his dad and he really enjoyed it; he didn’t find it boring at all. Fishing was a source of peace for him. He felt free when he went near a lake and sat under the tree with a fishing rod. He didn’t have to think, his mind was quiet and it was blissful.

Now, in the dormitory, with people listening to music or drinking or having sex next door, he resorted to this method again and again. Sure there were also people who were studying (and probably annoyed by the disturbing atmosphere) but they were quiet and Will didn’t know them. He only made acquaintance with Matthew.

Will was brought back from his sanctuary due to the buzzing of his phone on the desk. A text message from Alana.

‘Guess what! Our last classes tomorrow has been cancelled :D Would you like to go shopping with me then?’

Huh. He liked Alana but what did she mean by going shopping? If looking for clothes to buy then it sucked because he didn’t have much money and he wasn’t the most appropriate person to give advice on outfits. He stared at the phone for another minute and then texted back.

‘Sure’

‘Great! See you tomorrow :) ’

There were no more texts. He turned his head towards the window and looked at the sky. Cloudless, perfectly navy blue with millions sparkling silver stars. He fell asleep.

 

Shortly before midnight Will woke up because someone was moving his body. He bounced out of bed and saw a dark shadow as there was no light on in the room.

“It’s alright. I only wanted to move you to cover you with the duvet. It’s getting cold” Matthew’s voice was soft and honest.

Will sighed with relief and lay back on the bed.

“Thank you” Will said in almost a whisper “Did you got back from work just now?”

“Uhm. Fortunately, I don’t have classes until eleven” Matthew offered a smile in the darkness and went to the bathroom. On his way there, he turned and looked at Will who had his eyes closed already.

“Goodnight” Matthew whispered mostly to himself.

 

The next day Hannibal took Brain, Jimmy, Alana and Will to the café, as he had promised, and said they could order whatever they wanted – he’d pay for anything. Will grimaced at the offer; he didn’t like to be paid for. Brian and Jimmy, on the other hand, seemed incredibly happy about the situation. They started to flick through the menu. Alana rolled her eyes and ordered a piece of pie and a lemon tea. Will was the last to decide.

“Not that we’re complaining, but are you rich?” Brian asked straightforward.

“I have enough money” the response was fairly enforced and filled with venom.

Will despised wealthy people, especially those who flaunt their filthy fortune. But Hannibal didn’t seem to be one of them. He didn’t seem proud.

They all got what they ordered and enjoyed the delicious meals.

“So, where are you from?” Jimmy asked while devouring a chocolate cupcake.

“Lithuania. But my parents moved to France when I was very young so I spent most of my life there” Hannibal explained.

“What are you doing in the States, then?” Will asked in a bit too rough tone.

“It’s a form of a punishment. I don’t get along with my parents and they sent me here to get my degree” Hannibal said calmly, his face expressionless.

“But they pay for you? I mean it’s their money you’ll be spending when paying for our delicious lunch?” Brian interrupted.

“Yes. They still provide for me”

“Cool. I wish my parents spent money on me and didn’t need to see me so often” Brian joked but only Jimmy smiled.

“I hope you’ll resolve whatever it is that’s got you in this situation” Alana said and gently brushed her hand over Hannibal’s shoulder.

The boy offered her a gently smile. Will winced internally but wasn’t certain why.

The group then returned to the university building and resumed classes.

 

At three they were all free to go and Alana and Will hurried to catch a bus to the mall. It took them a quarter to get there and Will started to feel more and more uncomfortable. They began a circuit of the shopping centre.

Alana wasn’t like most girls – she kept the pace pretty quick (but then again, maybe she sensed Will’s discomfort) and she seemed to have a specific goal. They visited four shops and she looked at Will from behind the rack of dresses. She sighed and picked one.

“I’ll go and try it on, okay? Can you be near? I may want to hear your opinion” she smiled warmly and he nodded.

She took off her sweater and jeans and put on the pale pink dress. The mirror presented her a lovely and innocent girl she was.

Will was standing near the changing room and watching people, not the clothes. Then suddenly he smelt a familiar perfume.

“Will?”

Will turned in the direction from which the voice was coming but knew to whom it belonged. He would never mistake this exotic accent.

“Hannibal”

“What are you doing here? I mean, of course, what are you looking for?” the boy seemed more friendly and warmer than at lunch or at school.

“Um. Noting. I came with-“

“Alana! You look stunning”

The girl reappeared from the changing room and Hannibal naturally expressed his amazement by her look.

“Thank you” she blushed a bit and it only added to her girly and angelic appearance “What are you doing here?”

“I’m looking for a new pair of pyjamas and some casual clothes”

The statement made Will smile but, fortunately, neither of his friends saw it.

“Do you want us to join you or…?” Alana offered politely.

“I wouldn’t want to impose”

“No imposition at all. Will?”

His name brought him back to reality as for the time of the conversation he focused on and a couple arguing with a lady by the cash register.

“Yes?” Hannibal observed Will’s bafflement with wild fascination.

“Shall we go with Hannibal and help him choose new clothes?” Alana explained.

“Um. Alright. If he’s okay with it” the boy said as if Hannibal wasn’t standing right next to him.

“Excellent” Hannibal spoke warmly.

Alana bought the pink dress since Hannibal liked it so much and they went on exploring the rest of the shops. They entered one that was selling only pyjamas, underwear and swimsuits. Will was a bit uncomfortable watching all those articles in a company of his friends. There was lingerie on his right and some kind of erotic men’s underwear on his left. He felt dizzy.

Alana and Hannibal were browsing through silken pyjamas and Will found a plush chair to sit down in.

“How about this one?” the girl presented a forest green pair with buttons that looked like emeralds.

“I like it. Let’s find one more” Hannibal offered a nice, almost seductive smile.

They were standing fairly close to each other and Alana blushed again. It seemed more natural than when she was with Will.

“This one” she stated confidently and pulled out a maroon pair with buttons looking like they were made of chocolate.

Hannibal took a thorough look at the piece of clothing and then showed it to Will.

“What do you think?”

Will’s eyes widened in shock for a second as he had been lost in thought and didn’t really expect Hannibal to ask him for his opinion on clothes.

“Um… it’s nice?”

“Only nice?” Hannibal asked, there were sparks in his eyes.

“I mean… it’s a pair of pyjamas, not a suit to wear on a romantic date”

“What is wrong with it?” Alana asked a bit offended.

“I just don’t think the colour is proper. But obviously I'm no expert on clothes”

Hannibal looked for bitterness in the statement but there was none. It was a simple fact. Will didn’t wear expensive nor very elegant clothes. Plain, casual, bordering on boring and faded.

Hannibal smirked.

“Come here” he stretched his hand toward Will who raised his eyebrows but stepped closer to the rack regardless “Pick two you like best”

What kind of experiment was it? Will thought but looked through the pyjamas hanging on the rack and chose two pairs as was told. One was blue with a gentle winding pattern and the second was beige with gold buttons. Hannibal looked at them and then at Will. Alana was also observing the whole situation.

“I’ll take them both. And the green one”

Will was puzzled again but they approached the cash register and Hannibal paid for the pyjamas.

“Would you excuse me if I left you now? I don’t feel very well” Will asked after they had left the shop.

“What’s wrong?” asked Alana and put her hand protectively on the boy’s shoulder.

“My head is spinning a little. I need to lie down”

“Of course. Go. We’ll see you tomorrow”

“Are you sure you’ll get home safely? Maybe we should go with you?” Hannibal offered and was already heading towards the exit of the mall.

“It’s really not necessary”

“Nonsense. I would feel guilty if I let you go in this state and something happened to you. Come”

They left the building and Hannibal pointed a black car at a parking lot. It looked expensive. Will didn’t know this brand and assumed it must have been European.

Alana stared at the car and couldn’t believe they were going to drive it. Hannibal opened the backseat door for them.

“Alana, can you please keep an eye on Will?”

She nodded and Hannibal started the engine and left the parking lot. He asked Will for the address and typed it into the GPS system because he wasn’t very familiar with the city yet. They halted by the dormitory and Hannibal, again the perfect gentleman, opened the door for his friends.

“Alana, I’d like to walk with Will and make sure he gets safely to his room. You can stay in the car if you want”

“Um. Alright”

Alana sat on the backseat and took out her phone.

“You really don’t have to” Will said and stumbled through the corridor. Hannibal walked next to him. They got to Will’s room and Hannibal sensed some awkwardness.

“Alright, now we can both sleep soundly”

Hannibal smiled and turned to head back to the car.

“Thank you” Will yelled after him and entered his room.


	5. An unusual gift

Hannibal drove Alana home and watched her enter the house. He declined to come in when she offered and explained that he needed to go to a few places to deal with some accommodation issues. They parted.

Hannibal looked at the rear mirror and drove back to the dormitory. He parked a car and waited for a moment. Then he took out one box from the trunk and wrote a note on a small piece of paper, attaching it to the box.

Hannibal hesitated but then noticed a young man with short dark hair who was about to enter the dormitory.

“Excuse me” Hannibal approached the boy and smiled warmly “I’m in a hurry but I really need to get this box to a friend of mine. Would you mind terribly handing it to him on my behalf?”

“No, it’s alright. Which room?” the boy returned the polite smile.

“134” Hannibal recited from memory “Thank you so much”

Hannibal vanished quickly before the boy could ask more questions or make any further comment. He frowned, took the box and went to his room, in which his roommate was sleeping. The boy put the box on the desk and went to shower. When he reappeared in the room, he noticed his roommate was awake but still lying on the bed, looking at the window.

“Hey. Listen, a guy gave this to me and told me to hand it to a friend who lives, get this, in our room. So I guess it’s for you”

The boy threw the box to his roommate who frowned and read the note attached to it.

‘I think it will match your eyes better than mine’

What? Will unpacked the box and saw a pair of light blue pyjamas. Matthew was watching the whole process and grimaced at the unusual gift. Why would someone give Will a pair of pyjamas?

“Who’s that from? I mean who was that guy?” the question escaped Matt’s mouth before he could restrain himself.

“A… colleague” Will answered and searched for his cell phone.

“Pretty weird gift for just a colleague” Matt remarked with a fake smile.

“Yeah. I know”

Will dialled Alana’s number. She answered after two signals.

“Hi, Will! Are you feeling better?” her voice was cheerful.

“What? Um, yes. Listen, I was wondering if maybe you had Hannibal’s number? Or address? I need to talk to him”

“Yes. I’ll text you his number in a second. Has something happened?” she sounded genuinely concerned and a bit curious.

“No. I mean, it doesn’t include you so don’t worry. I just want to talk to him”

“Oh, alright” she’d feel offended if she hadn’t already figured Will out. Or so she thought.

Will hung up and waited for the text message. When he got it, he went to the bathroom for some privacy and immediately dialled the given number.

“Hello?” the exotic voice asked on the other side of the line.

“Why did you give me this ‘present’?” the last word was more of a hiss “And through a proxy, no less. Who happens to be my roommate. It’s a bit humiliating to be honest. I want you to take it back” his words were calm and measured but firm.

“Will. I didn’t want Alana to see me give you the pyjamas. Wouldn’t it be even more humiliating?” the answer had a matching tone.

“But why give me the clothes in the first place? Do I seem so poor to you that you felt bad for me and decided to aid?” there wasn’t much resentment in his voice, rather shock.

“No, Will” calm, soothing tone “I do believe it will better match you than me so I decided to just offer it to you”

“I don’t need you to provide for me” a venomous remark.

There was a second of silence. Will sighed and leant against the cool tiles.

“You should have returned it to the shop if you didn’t like it” Will said calmly.

“I do like it. I only think it’ll look better on you than me. And I won’t repeat myself again”

“I will pay you for it”

“If that’ll make you feel better”

“It’s not about the money though. You can’t give me such expensive presents. You barely know me”

Hannibal smirked on the other side of the line.

“Let’s make a deal, then, shall we? You will take me for lunch tomorrow. You’ll pay so we’ll be even and I get to know you a bit more. Does that sound acceptable to you?”

Will frowned at the offer. But it did sound nice.

“Um… Alright”

“Excellent. See you tomorrow, Will”

The boy hung up and left the bathroom. Matthew was lying on the bed and reading. He smiled to Will and turned the page. Will put the pair of pyjamas in his drawer and sit at the desk to study.

“Everything alright?” asked Matthew after a while.

“Yes. We’ve sorted it out. Kind of” Will spoke to the book on the desk.

“I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear, but those walls are pretty thin”

“You heard me?” the boy turned to look at Matthew.

“Well, there wasn’t much to be heard. I hope you resolved whatever it was you needed to resolve” Matt offered a warm smile again.

“We’ll see about it”

Will returned to his books.


	6. Don't be ashamed

The next day Will went through three first classes without even glancing at Hannibal, let alone speaking to the boy. It was on the lecture on psychology that Will noticed Hannibal was smiling at him.

He seemed a bit weird right from the beginning and Will knew the boy had a habit of observing people and watching them intensively but Will either pretended or genuinely did not care.

As he had promised himself a week before, Will checked out Conrad’s ass when he was scribbling something on the blackboard. Will was slightly fascinated by the teacher; maybe a bit infatuated with him?

_Oh, come on, get a grip. You see the man for the second time in your life!_

Will didn’t even notice when Hannibal turned to him and started asking questions.

“Um…sorry, what?”

“I was asking if you’d like to do the project with me?”

“What project?” Will was utterly confused.

“Have you been paying attention to what the teacher was saying at all?” no reproach here “Or did you find his ass more interesting?” a smirk here.

Will blushed, probably more of embarrassment than modesty.

“No. I… sorry. Yes. I’ll do the project with you”

It was his mind going on auto pilot and babbling. He committed himself to an assignment with a person whom he barely knew. Bravo.

“I’m glad to hear that. I’ll sign us on the list”

The situation didn’t help Will focus. He stopped paying attention altogether. He was angry at himself for getting caught and it made his cheeks even redder.

Will didn’t say another word until the break. He was about to leave with Hannibal but Alana touched his arm lightly.

“Where are you going? Aren’t you having lunch with us?”

Suddenly, a noble posture appeared behind Will; close but never touching.

“I’m afraid we’ll leave you for the lunch break. I want to discuss the details of our project with Will” Hannibal offered a charming smile.

“Oh, alright” Alana’s smile didn’t betray what her eyes did.

Hannibal turned and headed towards the door and Will followed. They left the building and Hannibal opened the passenger’s seat of his car for Will. He took his seat behind the wheel.

“Where to?”

Will turned his head and his frowned. Seeing the boy’s expression, Hannibal continued.

“We agreed you’d take me to lunch, so where are you taking me?”

Hannibal smiled warmly but Will only narrowed his eyes.

“Um… I kinda liked the café we were in yesterday…”

Hannibal smirked and started the engine. They didn’t talk until Hannibal parked the car in front of a small restaurant. Will raised his eyebrows because he knew this wasn’t the café they had been in the day before. When Hannibal was unfastening his seatbelt, he noticed Will’s bewilderment.

“Is something wrong?” he asked politely.

“This isn’t the place” Will uttered in a low tone.

“Although I trust in the proven methods and venues, I also enjoy variety” Hannibal smiled seductively.

There was something in the boy’s voice and features that made Will uneasy, even though it was probably designed to achieve the opposite effect.

The boys got out of the car and stepped inside the small building. It smelt delicious, like home-made meals, and the atmosphere was friendly. But somehow, Will felt out of place. Hannibal pointed the seats by the window and Will followed. They sat down and opened the menus . After a minute, a waiter approached them.

“Have you decided yet?”

“I crave tomato soup” Hannibal said, not looking at the waiter but smiling at Will.

“Um… I’ll have the same” Will ordered and put the menu down.

The waiter took the menus and disappeared. Will watched the whole action, not wanting to confront Hannibal, but he was aware of the boy’s eyes on him. Will sighed in resignation.

“So what is the project about? What are we supposed to do?”

Hannibal smiled causing wrinkles create around his eyes and lips.

“We have to do write an essay about bipolar disorder” Hannibal stated matter-of-factly.

Will nodded and drank some water to distract himself.

“I don’t know anyone with this disorder but I’ve read some books and I’m sure we’ll find plenty of information on the Internet”

“I have a few books regarding the topic at home. I thought you could come on Friday and we could write it” Hannibal suggested.

The waiter came with their bowls filled with hot soup.

“Yeah, alright”

Will stayed calm and sighed and rolled his eyes only in his mind. Hannibal was a bit surprised by Will willingness but he smiled. He wondered whether it was caused by the previous embarrassment and whether he could push the boy further.

“If we don’t manage to finish it then or if we finish very late, you are welcome to stay over for the night”

Will’s focus instantly changed at the offer. He almost dropped the spoon he was holding and looked at Hannibal curiously.

“You want to see me in that pair of pyjamas you gave me, don’t you?” it wasn’t even a question, more of a realization setting in.

Hannibal smirked but then assumed a mask of innocence.

“I didn’t specify the dress code, Will” Hannibal smiled.

“But you do want to see me wear it” he made a small pause and a disappointed expression “When exactly did you decide to keep embarrassing me?”

Will didn’t ask why or what kind of savage pleasure Hannibal could possibly derive from this.

“Forgive me if I made you uncomfortable. I had no such intentions. I merely made a harmless offer” Hannibal seemed genuinely apologetic and that made Will even more embarrassed.

_What is wrong with me?_

“Um. I know. Sorry. I just…”

“Will. Let’s agree that you come on Friday and we try to finish the project before eleven. Is that ok? And then I’ll drive you home”

Will blushed and nodded.

“You don’t have to take me home, though. I’ll manage” but at Hannibal’s expression Will changed his mind and tune.

“Alright. I’m done rejecting your kind offers”

They both smiled and finished their soup. The waiter took the emptied bowls and Will paid for both their meals. Then they returned to the car and drove back to the university.

“So you said the boy was your roommate?” Hannibal referred to the dark haired boy who gave Will ‘the present’.

“Yeah” was all the response but Will noticed a small spark in Hannibal’s eyes and frowned “What is it?”

Hannibal seemed surprised Will actually noticed a change in his face expression, a kind of an interest.

“Nothing” Hannibal smiled seductively and tried to change the subject.

“Why are you ashamed of your orientation?”

“Excuse me?” Will didn’t hide the fact he felt offended.

“You seemed a bit off-guard when I suggested you were attracted to our psychology lecturer. I’m wondering why”

“What do you mean ‘why’? And what about you? I just asked you about Matthew and you said ‘nothing’. Not quite flaunting, if you ask me”

Hannibal smiled wider. He wasn’t careful enough and Will took advantage of it. The boys returned to the university and went to the classroom. But something changed. It was Will who kept staring at Hannibal for the rest of the day. And not like Hannibal to not be aware of that.


End file.
